A Career
by LilyNightShade
Summary: This is a story that follows Cato and Cloves lives just before the games. See how they met, got together and how they died. The story is rated T for violence. The story is much better than the summary please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have decided to write a story! :) The first chapter is short as it's more of a prologue then a chapter. I hope you enjoy it I'll be posting hopefully once a week. Please review.  
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People say careers are heartless, incapable of anything but killing and to be honest those people are mostly right. In districts 1, 2 and 4 if you are born and bred into the correct family you train to be a cold heartless killing machine. You are taught of nothing other than becoming a victor, you are taught of how it brings glory, pride and money; I wanted it all. I knew exactly how to get there as well; I know how to survive, kill and make and break alliances. From a young age I knew I was a shoe in for the hunger games, I was the strongest and most agile boy in District 2 and I made sure everyone knew it. My ego's always been huge and my parents and trainers only made it grow, they were all very proud of me so naturally I thought I was the best thing to walk the whole of Panem. Everyone used to feed me complements for hours on end… well until I was 11. I was innocently decapitating my dummy's head when a girl with black hair and eyes that sparkled came up to me and complemented me. I was smug about it and she looked me right in the eye and offended me. It felt as if right then she had burst my ego with the knife she held in her hand. It was then her turn to feel smug. I glared at her and picked up my sword and attacked the dummy brutally as if it were a real tribute within the arena. Once I had finished I smirked over my shoulder at the girl, she only glared in return walking up to another dummy. I frowned wondering what she was up to, she was a newbie she couldn't possibly have any skills. Boy was I wrong. The girl angled herself to the side drew a breath and threw the knife, impaling it directly in the centre. I let my mask slip allowing my jaw to drop open in shock. She was 8! How on Earth did she do that? She walked over to me and offered me her hand.  
"Clove." She said, raising an eyebrow when I didn't react. I shook my head slightly and sighed.  
"Cato." I said taking her hand in my own, secretly enjoying the warmth that slipped from her to me. She smiled with the most beautiful smiled I'd ever seen and from that moment on I knew I was hooked.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The dream  
~Cato's P.O.V~

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**A/N: So here's chapter two of my fanfiction! This is the more violent part as this is his dream of what the hunger game could turn out to be like. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except the ones I have created; the only thing I own is my version of the plot. **

The mist was getting thicker, surrounding my feet in a never ending torrent of patterns. I could feel me fear crawling around my body. I could hear a collection of screams surrounding me leaving me feeling caged in. The screams were filled with fear and defeat, before they subsided one by one; they were picking us of. I could see a hand reaching out through the mist edging closer towards me with every heartbeat, I felt paralyzed never once blinking nor moving. It was a pale hand and the mist seemed to follow the wrist never once revealing the person behind. Eventually the sun was edging its way over the mist; pushing it back until eventually the figure that was behind the shadow was revelled. President Snow and a few hooded figures drifted forwards, never once losing contact with my eyes. His face held no emotion but at most any fear. His eyes were blood shot and the whites of his eyes seemed bigger and more intimidating than normal. The mist had subsided revelling a mountain of dead bodies scattered around, each one had a single blood covered white rose on their chest. Nobody was alive on the dew dropped field within the arena, so nobody would be able to save me. The hooded figures gathered around President Snow, the smallest one lifted a covered hand to give President Snow a white Rose. My white rose. Snow smiled at me wickedly, he must have a plan. Snows plans are always violent and cunning he works in a way that even if you win his silly game you are never truly free. My façade was slipping and I deeply wanted to run. Although it wouldn't do any good they'd catch me and draw my death out longer. Well right now I was rooted to the spot unable to move nor speak nor scream. I had no idea why I was acting like this, I'm Cato! I don't run away I stay and fight but maybe subconsciously this is who I truly am. The fear was building with every step they took; I could feel it building in my stomach the work butterflies didn't even reach the level of fear I could feel wrenching in my stomach. The hooded figures surrounded me in a circle, their heads were bowed towards the ground and there brown clocks were covered in the other tributes blood. Snow took a step within the 'circle' and smiled at mean menacingly, his white rose was held tight in his left hand.  
"Hello Cato, it's truly wonderful to see you here." Snow said circling me like a predator does with its prey. I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't get the words out I was scared, alone and vulnerable so instead I closed my mouth and eyes and hoped he wouldn't murder me on the spot.  
"It looks like you're the last person standing; congratulations now please tell me how it feels to be victor. Is it filled with pride and glory? Or are you haunted by the fact that you murdered all these people?" I was confused for a second, what did he mean? He murdered them! He had a smirk plastered on his face and I desperately wanted to cut him with my sword. Wait… when did I have a sword? I looked down at my appearance only to find myself covered in blood, the metallic smell surrounding me. When did this happen? I could feel my anger rising within me.  
"I didn't kill them you did!" I yelled even though my voice was hoarse from the lack of use. I gripped my sword so tight that my knuckles were white. I was Cato I would never go down without a fight.  
"Now Cato they died at your hands not mine. You trained rained for this, you gave your life training to kill is it my fault that these people are dead? I didn't say you had to kill them Cato, so you truly are a career. Well done."  
Fear gripped me, I murdered them all? Shivers ran up and down my arms and I looked at each one of them lying there cold, pale and lifeless. Was I really a cold heartless killing machine? Am I really a capitol play thing? They owned me and there wasn't a single thing I could do about it. Blood dripped down my shocked form, eventually falling and becoming part of the scenery. This place was a graveyard and I was trapped within it. I looked Snow in the eye the anger I've been keeping down seemed to rise making me see a red haze.  
"It's your fault all of this, if you didn't send us in these games children wouldn't die!" I shouted raising my sword and stepping towards Snow. I wouldn't be heartless if it wasn't for the Capitol. The hooded figures surrounded me and started tugging at my shoulders and arms. They were pulling me in every direction with a touch that seemed to be as cold as ice itself. Snow smiled bitterly at me while playing with the white rose in his hand. President Snow was all about mind games, he held that rose knowing I thought I was going to die which then leads to the question, is he bluffing? He needs his victor so am I?  
"Maybe you're not completely heartless there are some people that you," He paused while looking at me with a gleam in his eye. "_Love _"He seemed to spit out the last word as if it were tainted.  
I felt my heart freeze. To most people that would seem like a statement but I knew better; it was a threat. He uses love against you as if it's some kind of weakness and in some ways it is, but love is also power it can motivate you in ways that some people will never understand. He was good at twisting victors to doing what he wanted, this is why as I career they make you heartless so you stand at least a chance against Snow.  
"Don't you dare hurt them or I won't even think twice about ripping what's left of your heart out." I screamed while trying to tug the hooded figures of off me but my attempts only made them hold on harder.  
"A true career at heart my boy but why don't you just listen to what the people you love truly think of you."  
I looked at him with obvious confusion written all over my face; he just smiled his evil smile and watched the scene carefully. The hooded figures suddenly dispersed which caused me to frown. What were they up too? I could hear whispers coming from every direction. Who was it? It was getting louder turning into a buzz. I kept spinning around, was it tracker jackers? No it couldn't be as I couldn't see any. I paused and strained my hearings and was able to pick up a few words.  
"Mistake." A feminine voice hissed.  
"Heartless…cruel…why?" A small figure with a high voice stated.  
"Disappointment." A masculine voice said  
"Why would anybody love _you_?" The figure closet to me said in a voice that I would never forget. I took a hesitant step forward.  
"Clove?" I asked as I stood in front of her. Then they all pulled their hoods down and there stood my mother, sister, farther and Clove. Their eyes held nothing but hatred.  
"W…What's going on?" I asked confusion plastering my face. Clove took a step forward her throwing knife glistened dangerously in the small amount of light within the field.  
"Well silly, we are here to kill you." She smiled as if it were the most natural thing to say. "I am a career after all we don't love." She said while lifting her favourite engraved knife. And then everything went black.

I woke up replying the dream in my head. It was a scene I would rather not think about but however hard I tried the scene ran in a constant circle in my mind. I made my eyes focus on the patch of dim light in the darkness. I could hear the distant drum of rain against my window.  
My room felt hot and damp, maybe from the rain or maybe from me. My head was pounding as thoughts and emotions cluttered my head. I really was becoming weak if a dream was scaring me. It was a horrid dream though and I knew exactly what brought it on.  
This is my last year to be eligible for the reaping. For most people this was amazing you no longer had to worry about dying, but as a career it means you have to train and impress so you can get your chance. I'm the best and most trained boy in District 2. I was going into the hunger games, it was inevitable. My father knew it too and was training me extra hard so that I would not 'shame' our district. My father never got a chance to enter the hunger games thanks to an injury my uncle gave him so therefore he is putting everything he ever wanted into me, I'm living _his_ dream. A year ago this was all I wanted but now I'm not sure. Can I really kill anyone? Can I watch the life drain from their eyes? A real career wouldn't even think twice about it so why was I? I sighed and through myself back onto my pillow. I starred at the crack in my ceiling; I looked at how the blue mixed with the white, it all blended together just like my emotions. Lately everything's been so crazy, it feels like my life is moving so fast and I can't keep up with it anymore. I looked around my room, I looked at the pink and red waves that flowed over my bedroom, the sun was slowly rising over the horizon leaving swirling patterns scattered among my bedroom walls. I tugged a hand through my damp hair and shut my eyes. Clove was the first person to come into my head which made me smile. Clove was one of those people who could keep me grounded; I could trust her with anything. She was like the light within my darkest moments. She was a piece of work and was probably the only person who didn't worship me but I loved her anyway. I was going to see her today as it was her birthday, her 15th birthday.  
"Cato!" Yelled Rosemary banging her small fist against my door. "Mummy wants you."  
"Okay"!" I shouted back at her. I could hear her little 5 year old footsteps disappearing down the corridor. My little sister was one of the few people I truly cared about. My Mother, Clove and Rosie were the only 3 people I was certain I loved. I pulled myself out of my sheets and stretched out my aching muscles. My job was to protect Rosie from my farther and the Capitol, I would not let the Capitol own her like they already owned me. With that thought I opened my door and went to face my family.


	3. Chapter 3

**A. N I have finally updated my story for you all! I'm sick so I decided writing would be perfect. Thank you to everyone reading my story and following it!**

**I do not own The Hunger Games nor will I ever, I just own this plot :)**

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Chapter 3: The family

The sun shone brightly through the windows as I descended down the stairs after Rosemary. I glanced out of the window at the sky was still red and pink, but then the autumn had an effect on the colours and moods of the mornings. The distant sounds of birds were the giveaway, and a quick glance to the clock to my right confirmed it was in fact 5:30 in the morning; training time. I shock away every though of Clove and happy thought and put on my career mind frame. Emotions are bad wholeness is good. I think that they try to stop you feeling emotions because once you come out of the games you wouldn't be able to feel them anyway. The games change everyone, including someone as strong as me. When I look at the mentor of our District Brutus he puts on a strong face but at certain times you can see his façade braking. The games are not all about pride and glory, there ultimately about sacrificing your childhood and free will just for the idea of killing innocent people. I've always wanted to be a career since I was old enough to walk, I had wanted what they said it would be; and I wanted the fame. I soon started to realise the faults in these stories whenever I saw the brokenness of some of the victors. They had hollow expressions on tier faces and they seemed to be trapped in their own mind, reliving the games over and over to the point where it had consumed their entire life. I did not want to end up as a ghost of my former self, I liked who I was and I did not want to be destroyed. I had no choice though, I had no free will. I'm a puppet to so many people who feel they can just through me around and I despise that. I have to be in control, I hate it when I lose control and everything crumbles around me, and that is what they do; they make me lose control. The Hunger Games used to rule my life but it doesn't any longer. I have to act like I love the idea of slaughtering children and maybe on some level I will enjoy it when I'm in the arena but right now in this moment I don't think I want to. When I'm in my father's presents he radiates power and superiority and I know that if I step one foot out of line someone will pay, whether it be me or someone I care about. My father is as bad as President Snow but I know that he would only take that as a compliment. I sighed and hesitated outside the door of my kitchen. It radiated warmth and protection, just like a house should feel. I pushed the door open as the stream of light hit my eyes as I entered. I looked over at my father who was sitting down twirling the knife around in his hand like it was a toy. He would never know the horrors of the game; he can only believe what the others say it is like. His eyes flickered up to my briefly before setting back on his spinning blade. To my right my mother rolled her eyes at his display of male dominants and continued to pill food on our plates. I took my seat at the table and Rosie continued to talk about what she would be up to today.  
"Tommy and I are going to create a huge picture of District 2's justice building!" She stated a smile of glee planted across her face. I beamed brightly back at her enthusiasm, I was so glad that she did not yet understand the horrors of our world yet. A plate of food was placed in front of me and I ate it quickly, wanting to get as far away from this house as I possibly could. I was so close to my goal of leaving before my father through the knife so that it knocked the fork out of my hand. I stared at the knife, my mouth open in complete and utter shock.  
"Steven, how dare you through a knife at our son!" My mother bellowed as she ran to pull the knife out of the wall. "And look you dented the wall, I just got this repaired!" She screeched in aggravation and through her arms up in an exasperated movement. He did this a lot; he liked to take his anger out on anything that could not fight back, whether it be animate or inanimate. I turned back and gave him an emotionless face; it is one of the basic steps of being a career. Do not show emotion. He only smirked at me and rolled his eyes, picking up another knife from his selection. The simple gesture reminded me of Clove and the fact that I would be seeing her in an hour for her birthday.  
"There's going to be much worse than that in the arena and in there they won't aim to the wall. They will aim at your head and enjoy watching you bleed to death." He stated as he watched his knife glisten in the morning sunlight. I through a glare his way. I hated how he could talk about my death in such an easy way, like if I died he would not care.  
"As you have told me many a time." I said in cold voice, my eyes gave him an almost as icy look. "I have people I need to go and train with right now. As always father it was a pleasure." I said in a sarcastic drawl. I leaned over to kiss Rosie on the forehead and I tucked a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear.  
"Have a good day Rosie, and make sure that picture goes well." I said with a smile, she only nodded vigorously as she continued to devour her pancake as if nothing had even happened.  
I glanced back at my father to see he had ignored my comment as was already back in his own mind, dreaming about the glory he could have had if he had been chosen for the games. I know my father did not resent me too much, he did have some care towards me however, in District 2 if you become too attached to you child and they die then you will only have your heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I picked my backpack of off the table and kissed my mother on the cheek. Just as I was about to leave the door my father shouted to me.  
"Don't do anything stupid Cato. Your focus is the games and it should be on nothing else." He stated, emphasising the word nothing. My heart sank as I looked in his eyes. They had a glint in them, he knew something. I did not want to guess exactly what he knew but I would guess he knew where I was going. I left the house with butterflies crawling in my stomach. This was not good.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The argument

The horizon cradled the rising sun in its overbearing arms, protecting it from the vast expanse of nothing that hung densely around them. All the while the sun climbs the heavens it projects a rays light of dilute pearly greys and deep violets of the subdued early morning sky. A strong breeze follows suit, stirring from the far west and dancing along the pathways. It taunts the trees, disturbing its arms form their sleep and threating to blow them over. The breeze washes its way over my dormancy, sending waves of trembles across my spine. The bitter caress seemed to rouse me to a fully awake form, sending away any reminiscence of my bloodcurdling nightmares. I could feel my eyes broaden and a bitter sweet sigh of bliss escaped my lips. I couldn't help but beam in delight as I thought about who I was going to meet. _Clove. _Her presence was enough to illuminate a room, even in the darkest of places. Her smile always made my chest fill with unknown warmth that I could truly never place. She was so much vigorous and capable than people gave her credit for. She is agile and can throw a knife so far and rapid that it passes in a blur of radiant colours. Clove is my training partner and in the time we have spent numerous amounts of times together. The longer we spent together the more I came to relish in our time together. I know every single habit of hers right from her biting her finger, to her biting her lip. I know her laugh is contagious and whenever she is determined to do something her eyes have a glint of fire within them, it's something I've become very accustomed to. I pace around the side of the steep hill, I turn around to bask in its greatness. It soared for what seems like forever. The morning light reflected of the top, making its elegance stand out even more. It was moments like these that I treasured the most. These are the moments when I don't have to focus on the fact that I'm a killer, were the world of my horrid childhood is forgotten. These are the moments when I'm truly me, and I adore them with every ounce of my being. I sigh and kick the rocks with the left foot, watching as flocks of black bird swoop around in circles. I wish I could be like those birds, I wish I could be free from the hell on Earth. They do not have to worry if one will turn on another they all get along in harmony; I envy them for their freedom. The serenity of the moment was so harmonious that I did not hear the near silent footsteps of a small, thin girl behind of me. My instincts did catch up with my mere seconds later and I managed to block her attack, pinning her to the ground with so little effort that the notion made me laugh.  
"Even when I'm not even thinking about it I can beat you!" I exclaimed with my face turning red with the effort of not laughing in front of her again. You do not put Clove in a rage unless you have a death wish or can live without your fingers.  
"Oh shut it Cato!" she growled "I almost had you that time and you know it!" She was making meagre efforts to escape my grasp and after a pregnant pause before I stood up and let her move. I took a few cautious steps towards her, treating her with the caution of a wild animal. She had the expression I knew well pressed upon her beautiful features; anger. I frowned slightly at this and contemplated asking her what was wrong. You could never be too cautious with Clove; she was like a spark that was ready to be set ablaze. After a few minutes of strained silence I cleared my throat and asked what had been clawing at my mind for the entire silence.  
"What's got you so mad Green?" I queried while looking at her with my eyebrows raised. I kept my eyes trained on my own training partner, we were meant to be allies not enemies. Oh how Karma hated me. She gave me one last evil look before she dropped her shoulders and leaded against the base of the nearest moss covered tree looking almost defeated.  
"Clove it's your birthday a day of celebration! Not a day to accept whatever defeat you think you are going against!" I grumbled, I pulled my backpack of off my back and unzipped it and produced two slices of cake. I took one a thrust it at her with his left hand. "Now eat your cake and we will discuss this later." I stated, I would not take no for an answer. Clove was my escape from the horrors of this world and I would not have her damped by them to. We were each other's sanctity and we would stay that way. She hesitated by the tree branch looking as if she was contemplating on whether or not to take the cake or not. I tapped my foot restlessly on the floor; small leafs crumbled beneath my moving foot. She sighed again and took the cake in her petite hands.  
"Where is Stephan?" Clove asked ask she picked at the delicate icing around the edge of her birthday cake.  
"He's with his dad at the training centre, his dads really pushing him to get into the games this year. He won't accept his son being a failure." I said in a bitter voice. Stephen was mine and Clove's best friend he obnoxious and completely boisterous but he would always be my best friend no matter what. I regarded Clove with a soft look; our fathers were always the down fall of our trio. We learnt the hard way that if we did not obey them that there would be grave consequences. I looked up at her familiar eyes when she had not talked for a while, something was bothering her deeply. Her eyes always held a glint to them. I never believed the idea that the eyes could be a window to someone's soul but as I looked more and more intently I believed it more than ever. I tried to look somewhere else but her eyes captivated me for beyond what I thought plausible. Her blue eyes sparkled again; they held brightness, a twinkle, something I never missed seeing. Right in that moment I believed Clove and I could get through this together, we could really do anything in that moment. I suddenly snapped back into reality and felt my heart beat faster. What was wrong with me? I was turning into some sentimental idiot._ Love gets you killed, love gets you killed_. Maybe if I said that enough it would be true. We ate our cakes and leaned back against a nearby rock, the warmth from it seeping through my top. I looked back at Clove and thought about everything she knew about me. She knew how my mind worked, she knew how to beat me in very rare occasions and she knew my biggest fear. My fear seemed irrational to her ad Stephen at first, it sounds crazy to me even now. I thought I was scared of the dark. It sounds like something a child is scared of but my fear has crept up on me on so many occasions that I can no longer block it out. I soon realised though that I was not scared of the dark, I'm afraid if what I don't know. I know that if you see it you can kill it but the dark conceals so much that I lose control. If I can't see it how can I do anything about it? That's the problem I hate not being in control, if I'm not in control I may as well be dead.  
I shook my head, acting as if the action could take all my phobias away. I looked back at Clove and saw that she was about as deep into though as I was. Whatever was bothering her was serious; nothing distressed Clove Green unless it was something completely and utterly pensive.  
"Okay spit it out Green, what's got you in this god awful mood?" I asked as I tilted my head to the side to get a better view of her features. She frowned slightly before turning to face me.  
"I'm sick of them. I'm sick of what they are doing to me. I'm sick of what they've done to all of us." She muttered with hooded eyes. There was no questioning who them was; it was the capitol. Around the age of 14-15 is when they turn you into an animal. Animals are slaves to their emotions, they cannot control them. Therefore, they learn to control them for us, we really turn into their puppets.  
"What can we do about it Clove? We do what we can to stay alive. I may be a ruthless killer but if you're heartless, no one can hurt you." I replied repeated the words my father had said to me thousands of times before. I saw the anger bubble up in her face. Good Clove let it all out.  
"They own us Cato! We don't have control anymore! We thought that becoming careers was all about pride and glory but it's not! The deep you get, the stronger and faster you become; with every breath you lose a little more of yourself and Cato, you can never get it back." She screeched at me. I cringed a little as I realised how true her statement was. I looked at her tear filled eyes and felt my killer instinct melt a little. I ran my hands through my hair and thought about how to word my nest thought.  
"We are just pawns in an elaborate game Clove, there is so much more than us in this. The games are a punishment and a way to divide the districts." I mumbled. I wasn't sure what else to say to her earlier speech.  
"I don't want them to change me!" She jumped up and so did I alongside her "I want to be-" I didn't know why I did it but I hushed her argument with my lips pressed against her, swallowing every protest she could possibly throw at me by kissing her hard and forcefully. She latched her arms around my neck and brought me as close to her as physically possible. _I'm kissing clove _I thought to myself and in a heartbeat I knew I wanted to kiss her forever more.

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**A.N. I decided to invest in a thesaurus for this work! I hope you like my chapter and reviews are always welcomed. I'm thinking about asking some people following this story if they would like to be a character in it, if you are interesting please PM me. ~LilyNightShade**


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